Note: This article was researched and drafted with the assistance of AI, then manually reviewed, tested and revised based on my own experience. While I do my best to keep it accurate, Home Assistant evolves quickly. If you notice anything outdated or incorrect, feel free to let me know.

Who This Guide Is For

This guide is aimed at anyone setting up Home Assistant for long-term use.

If you’re only experimenting, some of these recommendations may be unnecessary. If you want a stable system that’s easy to maintain, this is the approach I’d recommend.

1. Install Home Assistant OS

For almost everyone, Home Assistant OS is the best installation method.

It includes everything needed to run Home Assistant, including updates, add-ons, backups and the Supervisor.

Avoid manually installing Home Assistant Core unless you have a specific reason. It requires considerably more maintenance and is no longer the recommended installation for most users.

Should You Use a VM?

It depends.

If you already have Proxmox, VMware or another hypervisor, running Home Assistant OS in a VM is an excellent choice.

Benefits include:

• Easy snapshots before updates
• Simple migration to new hardware
• Better separation from other services

If you’re buying a dedicated machine only for Home Assistant, installing Home Assistant OS directly is equally valid.

2. Hardware

Home Assistant itself isn’t demanding.

For most people I’d recommend:

• Intel or AMD mini PC
• 4 GB RAM
• SSD (avoid HDD)
• Wired Ethernet

Older Intel systems still perform very well.

If you’re just starting, a Raspberry Pi 4 or Home Assistant Green are also excellent options.

3. Build a Reliable Network

Many Home Assistant issues aren’t actually Home Assistant problems—they’re network problems.

A few recommendations:

• Use Ethernet for your Home Assistant server
• Reserve a static IP through DHCP

An IoT VLAN can improve security, but it’s completely optional and adds complexity. I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re already comfortable managing VLANs and firewall rules.

4. Zigbee

If I were starting today, I’d choose Zigbee.

Reasons include:

• Huge device selection
• Lower prices
• Excellent local control
• Strong mesh networking

Both ZHA and Zigbee2MQTT are good choices.

Choose ZHA if:

• You want the simplest setup
• Most of your devices are supported

Choose Zigbee2MQTT if:

• You need support for newer devices
• You want more advanced configuration options

Neither is objectively “better”—choose whichever best supports your devices.

A USB extension cable for your coordinator is also highly recommended to reduce interference.

5. Install HACS

HACS isn’t required, but most experienced Home Assistant users eventually install it.

It provides access to:

• Custom integrations
• Dashboard cards
• Themes

My advice is simple:

Install it when you actually need it—not just because everyone says you should.

6. Configure Backups Immediately

Before adding lots of devices and automations, configure automatic backups.

Store backups somewhere other than the Home Assistant machine itself, such as:

• Google Drive
• OneDrive
• NAS
• Another server

Most people never think about backups until a drive fails.

7. Secure Remote Access

Avoid exposing Home Assistant directly to the internet.

Instead choose one of these:

Home Assistant Cloud

The easiest solution.

VPN (my preference)

Tailscale makes secure remote access extremely simple without opening ports.

Reverse Proxy / Cloudflare

Perfectly valid if you know what you’re doing, but requires more maintenance.

8. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication

If your Home Assistant is accessible remotely, enable MFA.

Also:

• Use strong passwords
• Give each family member their own account
• Only make administrators actual administrators

9. Don’t Overcomplicate Automations

One mistake many new users make is trying to automate everything immediately.

Start small.

Build automations that:

• Have one clear purpose
• Are easy to troubleshoot
• Handle unexpected situations gracefully

Simple automations are usually the ones that survive for years.

My Recommended Setup

If I were starting over today, this is exactly what I’d build:

• Home Assistant OS
• Mini PC with SSD
• Wired Ethernet
• Zigbee coordinator with USB extension cable
• ZHA (or Zigbee2MQTT if needed)
• Automatic cloud backups
• Tailscale for remote access
• MFA enabled

It’s simple, reliable and easy to maintain.

Final Thoughts

Home Assistant doesn’t need to be complicated.

Choose reliable hardware, use supported installation methods, keep good backups and avoid unnecessary complexity.

You’ll spend far more time enjoying your smart home—and far less time fixing it.